Electrically operated invalid&#39;s bed



1952 J. D. PUTTERBAUGH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALIDS BED 5 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Feb. 15, 1949 Q {@JNVENTOR. JOHN D PUTTERBAUGH Nov- 1 1952 J. D.PUTTERBAUGH T C E L E INVENTOR. Jog/v D. PUUERBAz/GH Nov. 11, 1952 J. D.PUTTERBAUGH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALID S BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledFeb. 15. 1949 INVENTOR. JOHN D. Pu TTERBA UGH Patented Nov. 11, 1952 IELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALIDS BED John D. Putterbaugh, Troy, Ohio,assignor to Campbell and Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

partnership Application February 15, 1949, Serial No. 76,596

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hospital or invalids beds and moreparticularly relates to an invalids bed having power operated elevatablehead and foot sections which can be controlled by a patient in the bed.

An object of this invention is to provide power operated meanscontrollable by the patient for raising and lowering head and footsections of a hospital bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide independent poweractuated means for independently and selectively raising and loweringthe head and foot sections of a hospital bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide power actuated meansfor raising and lowering sections of a bed and manual means for raisingand lowering the sections which manual and power operated means may beactuated independently.

A further object of this invention is to provide power operated meansfor raising and lowering the sections of a hospital bed which means islocated beneath the bed and out of the way.

A further object of this invention is to provide power operated meansfor raising and lowering sections of the bed which means is whollyenclosed.

The above and other objects are attained by the means described hereinand disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a hospital bed provided withpower operated means for raising and lowering head and foot sectionsthereof arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment ofthis invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing details of constructionof a handle mechanism for use in manual operation of one of the movablesections of the hospital bed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the underside of the bedillustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, partly broken away and insection, showing details of the power drive for actuating a bed section.

Fig. 5 is a view in section showing details of construction of thehandle mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along a line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a View in side elevation partly in section showing one of thetelescopic actuating members.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in section showing details of the telescopicmember illustrated in Fig. 7.

In the detailed description and the drawings, like reference charactersare used to indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 and 3, a hospital bed is shown which has a head frame In anda foot fram I2, each supported by suitable casters I3. A main frame 14of usual form is supported by brackets [5 on the head and foot frames ofthe bed. Th main frame is supported by lug l6 which fit into brackets 15secured to the head and foot frames.

A movable head section I! and a movable foot section l9 are supportedrespectively on the main frame by hinge brackets 2| and 22 attached tothe main frame. The movable head and foot sections support springs (notshown) in the usual manner. Head section I! comprises a single unit andis of U-shape, the opposite legs of which are pivoted to hinge brackets2|, while foot section l9 includes two units, an inner portion 23pivoted to hinge brackets 22 and an outer portion 24 supported at oneend by rollers 26 and pivoted at its opposite end 27 to inner portion22. Hinge brackets 2| and 22 are carried by the main frame of the bed. Ahead support or actuator frame 28 is pivoted to hinge brackets 2|, andpush bars 29 extend between frame 28 and head section 11 serving toraise and lower the head section. A foot support or actuator frame 3| ispivoted to hinge bracket 22 and push bars 32 extend between frame 3| andinner foot portion 23 serving to raise and lower the foot section of thebed. The construction of the parts described to this point is wellknown.

The head and foot sections of the bed are raised and lowered by actuatorassemblies indicated at 33 and 34 (Fig. 3) respectively. Head actuatorassembly 33 includes an extensible shaft or telescoping tube member 36,a crank 31 (Figs. 2, 5, and 7) at an end of rod 36, a bracket or reachmember 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) running between the other end of member 36 andactuator frame 28, and a motor 39 mounted adjacent bracket 38. The motor39 is a part of the telescoping member 36 and moves and swings with thetelescoping member. Foot actuator assembly 34 similarly includes anextensible rod or telescoping member 4 l, a crank 42 at an end of rod 4I, a bracket or reach member 43 running between the other end of rod 4|and foot actuator frame 3|, and a motor 44 mounted adjacent bracket 43.The actuator assemblies are positioned below the bed where they in noway interfere with normal use of the bed. The cranks are located at thefoot of the bed in the usual position and may be turned for manualraising and lowering of the head and foot sections in the usual manner.The motors provide power for automatic operation of the assemblies andthe motors may be of a reversible type so that each motor can both raiseand lowe the section of the bed with which it is associated. Since bothassemblies are of substantially the same construction and operate in thesame manner, only head assembly 33 will be'described in detail.

As shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 81 the extensible rod or telescoping member38 includes an elongated screw 46 disposed within a tubular drive sleeveM. A nut 48 fixed within sleeve M is threaded onto screw 46.

Sleeve i! is connected to .a stub drive shaft d9 by means of rotatableinner and outer bearing sleeves indicated at 50 and SI respectively.Inner bearing sleeve 50 fits inside drive sleeve 41, while outer bearingsleeve fits around drive sleeve 4? and inner bearing sleeve 50. A. pin52 passes through bores in sleeves' ll, 58, and 5| to hold the sleevesin assembled relation. Inner bearing sleeve 50 fits over stub shaft A9.A radial set screw 53 in sleeve 58 bears on a flat side of stub shaft asto cause the shaft and sleeves to turn together.

The bearing sleeves form supports for outer retainers of bearings 5-;and 55. A block 51 fits about the sleeves, and opposite ends of block 5form supports for inner retainers of the bearings. Block 51 in turn isfirmly bolted to reach member 38.

The drive shaft 39 is driven by motor 39 through reduction gearing (notshown in detail) in a gear box 5%. As will be understood, the gearingmay include a worm driven by the motor shaft and a worm wheel on driveshaft d5) meshing with the worm so that, when the motor is not inoperation, the gearing locks shaft ii against rotation. Motor 39 iscarried on a plate 6 I. Plate El in turn is pivoted to a support arm 62which is welded or otherwise firmly fixed to an actuator arm 63 of headactuator frame 28.

Reach member 38 is made up of two rigid arms 64 which fit on either sideof and are attached to block 5?. An end of each arm is firmly attachedto block 5'1. The opposite ends of the arms converge and are pivotallylinked to a lower end of arm 63 by pivot pin 65. As shown in Fig, 3,pivot pin 66 may be aligned with extensible rod .36. When the headportion of the bed is raised or lowered, reach member 38 takes thethrust from the extensible rod and transmits the thrust to arm 63. Motor39 can turn sleeve Li! and nut 48 about screw 46 for changing theeffective length of the extensible rod. However, the thrust istransmitted directly through bracket 38; and motor 39 and the reductiongearing are supported to swing with reach member 38 but do not receivethe thrust.

Details of construction of the crank end of rod 36 are shown in Figs. 2,5, 6 and *7. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, crank 3? has flat head surfacesH, only one of which is shown, which define an integral head plate 52.Head plate '52 is slotted as shown atl3 in Fig. 5. The outer end ofscrew 46 may be bifurcated to form jaws M which fit about crank headplate 12. A pin it through the bifurcated jaws links screw 55 to crank31 for turning together.

A protective and supporting sleeve ll fits about the head portion ofscrew 15. Screw 46 is held against axial movement within sleeve Tl andwith respect to main frame Hi by a collar 18 and pins 19 which areintegral with collar 18 and pivotally support the collar and sleeve forswinging with respec'ttothe main frame. Collar .IBfits' between bearings8i and 82. Collars 83 and 84 are attached to screw 46 on either side ofbearings 8i and 82. As shown in Fig. 6, pins T9 are pivotally supportedby bracket flanges 86. Flanges 8B in turn are attached to the main frameof the bed. Flanges 86 form a part of a bracket which is of usualconstruction and is similar in structure to a bracket 81 (Fig. 3) whichsupports the outer end of rod 4 i.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, a cap at fits over the outer end of sleeve 77and about the bifurcated end of screw 46. A lug 89 is fixed to headplate '82 of the crank, and lug 89 is engageable with a slot 91 in cap83. When lug 89 is engaged with slot 9|, handle 3'1 is looked againstturning, and the nut can be rotated about bolt 36 by motor 39 to raiseor lower head section ll of the bed. When the head portion is to beraised or lowered manually, crank 31 is swung about pivot pin 76 andpositioned to the left as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 7 to disengage lug 89from slot 91, whereupon screw 45 can be turned with crank 3'1. Duringmanual operation of the bed, it is unnecessary to lock drive sleeve 4".and nut :38 against rotation for the reduction gearing in gear housing59 automatically acts to lock the nut and the drive sleeve againstrotation as long as motor 35 is not turn As shown in Figs. 3, 4, '7 and8, a protective sleeve or guard tube 92 fits about drive sleeve A?telescoping over sleeve l! as the efiective length of extensible rod 35is varied. Guard tube 9.2 is attached to a cap 92 which fits about block51 and is attached thereto. During raising and lowering of the headsection of the bed, neither sleeve l"! nor guard $2 rotates; and asextensible rod 35 is lengthened or shortened, sleeve 7? and guard 52telescope.

As shown in Fig. 1, controls for the motors may be mounted in a controlbox 93 carried on a post 94 attached to movable head section ll.Appropriate cables 93 lead from switch box 93 for controlling themotors. Control switches 9? in switch box d3 preferably are of a springrelease type so that the motors remain stationary except when one of theswitches is held in closed position.

Limit switches 93, 99, W8, and ill! may also be provided. The limitswitches may be connected in the motor circuits to prevent overrunningby the motors. The limit switches may be attached to the main frame ofthe bed and are mounted in boxes H2 in position to be actuated by theactuator frames when the head and foot sections are fully raised orfully lowered. The limit switches may operate to stop the motors andprevent overrunning in the event that one of the control switches 92 isclosed after a movable bed section is fully raised or fully lowered. InFig. 1, parts of the bed are shown in raised position in dot-dash linesand in lowered position in full lines. The parts of the raised bed havebeen given the same numbers as parts of the lowered bed with theaddition of a prime to each number.

When the foot section reaches the position shown in dot-dash lines,limit switch 93 may be actuated to prevent further raising of the footsection by motor 44. Similarly, when the foot section reaches theposition shown in full lines, limit switch 99 is actuated to preventfurther lowering of the foot section. Limit switches I69 and NHsimilarly may be arranged to stop motor 39 when the head section reachesthe limits of its movement.

In addition to the electrical limit switches,

positive mechanical stops may be provided to protect the bed and anoccupant of the bed if the electrical limit switches fail. Themechanical stops further act to prevent manual raising and lowering ofthe bed sections beyond desired limits. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, screw46; includes an unthreaded tip on guide I02 which' ican fit inside nut'48. When the screw is fullygretracted in nut 48 and the head section isi'ully raised, the threads of the screw come free from the nut,whereupon further rotation of the nut or screw causes no further raisingof the: head of the bed. However, when the rotation is; reversed, theweight of the head of the bed causes the screw and nut to re-engage andlowery'the bed, and the guide tip 102 directs the screwfinto the nut tocause the threads to re-engage;

Downward movement of the head section of the bed is halted by a stopsleeve 103 which fits about the shank of screw 46. The stop sleeve I03may be fixed to collar 83 or may be free to' slide along the shank ofthe screw. An annular guide bushing i0 1 is fixed to the inside of drivesleeve 41 adjacent the free end thereof. The guide bushing fits aboutthe shank of screw 46, and as the head section of the bed is lowered,bushing I 04 advances along the shank of screw 46ffand abuts stop sleeve103 when the head of the bed has reached fully lowered position. 7

The mechanical stops illustrated in Fig. 8 may be used in conjunctionwith the electrical limit switches, or if the motors have appropriatewindings to permit the motors to stall, the mechanical stops can be usedalone without need for the electrical limit switches. It will beunderstood that the telescoping member 4| may include mechanical stopssimilar in construction to those just described in member 36.

The sections of the bed of this invention can be raised or lowered by apatient in thebed without help through the operation of control switches91, or the bed sections can be manually raised and lowered by anattendant in the usual manner. It is unnecessary to disconnect the driveto either motor to permit manual raising and lowering of bed sections.All parts of the operating mechanism are enclosed and located below themain frame of the bed where they are out of the way.

The embodiment of the invention described above and illustrated in thedrawings admits of modification without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as novel and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A hospital bed comprising a main frame, a

movable section mounted on said main frame,

an actuator frame pivotally attached to the main frame and linked to themovable section to raise and lower the movable section, an actuator armattached to said actuator frame and adapted to swing said actuator framefor raising and lowering said movable section, a reach member pivotallyconnected to said actuator arm, a hollow tubular guard sleeve rigidlyconnected to said reach member, a drive sleeve coaxial with androtatably mounted inside said guard sleeve, a motor pivotally mounted onsaid actuator arm and connected to the drive sleeve in driving relationthereto, a nut mounted inside said drive sleeve, a screw in threadedengagement with said nut, another guard sleeve surrounding said screw,one end of said other guard sleeve being in telescopic engagement withthe first mentioned guard sleeve, a bearing inside said other guardsleeve at the other end thereof and supporting the shank of the screw,means pivotally connecting said other guard sleeve at the bearing tosaid main frame, and means for locking said screw against turning insaid bearing, whereby operation of the motor raises and lowers themovable section.

2. A bed in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that thenut is spaced between the ends of the drive sleeve, that a hearingthimble is disposed inside the free end of the drive sleeve, the screwturning inside of and spaced from the bearing thimble when in engagementwith the nut, that a guide tip projects axially from the free end of thescrew, the guide tip and the bearing thimble supporting the screw whenout of threaded engagement with the nut, and that the actuator armswings in direction to hold the free end of the screw in engagement withthe nut when the nut and screw are turned out of threaded engagement andthe movable section of the bed is weighted.

JOHN D. PUTTERBAUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,092,563 Tucker Sept. 7, 19372,150,813 Ball Mar. 14, 1939 2,261,980 Drexler Nov. 11, 1941 2,337,284Urie Dec. 21, 1943 2,349,701 Buttikofer May 23, 1944 2,373,018 DeckertApr. 3, 1945 2,500,742 Taylor Mar. 14, 1950

